Manifolding



June 17,1941.

L. c. ANTRIM MANIZFOLDINQ Fiied Jan. 26, 1958 2 Sheetg-Sheet June 1 7, 1 941.

L. c. ANTRIM MANIFOLDING Filed Jan. 26. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 do M204 q a m lwl M 8 M22 5Y5: l A

dmrvllii l I- -vll u O mEu Z INVENTOR Patented June 17, 1941 MANIFOLDING Louis C. Antrim, New York, N. Y., assignor to Autographic Register Company, Hoboken, N. J.,' a corporation of New Jersey Application January 26, 1938, Serial No. 187,045

- I 18 Claims. This invention relates to the art of manifolding, and more'particularly, to the making of manifold copies in a typewriting machine and maintaining the copies, which are usually printed, in registration so that matter written on the top or original copy will be reproduced in the same place on the under copies. This application is directed toward the manifolding pile per se.

Heretofore it was proposed to secure together in registration a plurality of record strips interleaved with a plurality of carbon strips, both in continuous form so that the manifolding pile thus formed could be fed with traveling substantially as one.

The product thus formed is useful and has many advantages in many applications. In feeding such strips around a cylindrical platen of atypewriter by fraction, however, there is an inherent differential movement or creep between the several strips of the pile and resulting from each strip on the platen adding to the effective diameter thereof. The difficulty is well known by those skilled in the art, and the phenomena is known as creeping.

The difliculty has been avoided by positively frictionally; but this requires the provision of sprocket holes in the pile of paper and sprockets or pin-bearing bodies traveling with the platen to engage the sprocket holes.

I have found that when a pile of strips, which are secured together at intervals, as, for instance, by staples, is fed around the platen, there is a slight bunching or crinkling of the papers when the staple or other securing means is reached by the feed mechanism, and that, sbmetimes, this bunch is pressed down and,-passes the feed mechanism, but more often, after a number of forms have been fed, the creep between the several strips is suflicient to cause the paper to tear away from the staple with the result that the several record strips fail to register with each other.

According to the present invention, the very satisfactory and desirable fastened pile of manifolding strips ma be used with the friction type feed, requiring no rows of marginal sprocket holes.

This isv accomplished by providing, in the pile of strips, physical alterationsat predetermined intervals, and arranging the feed mechanism so the several strips sure and freeing the several strips for relative movement into registration as fixed and controlled by the strip-securing means. In this relative movement, the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of that portion of. the strip in advance of the physical alterations is dissipated.

In the form of the invention herein disclosed, the physical alterations are usuallyv in the form of apertures, preferably notches, located in the side margins of the pile, and the feeding means is in the form of annuli or disks ,in longitudinal alignment .with the feed-arresting apertures, so'

that when the disks enter theapertures, the strips are relieved offeeding pressure as aforesaid, and the slight bunch in advance of the securing means may become smoothed out.

These notches not only cause the feeding pressure on the strips to be relieved, but, also, interrupt the feeding operation, so that, in a few idle operations of the platen, the paper-strips may and will be jogged into alignment with each other as controlled by the securing means, usually staples preferably secured in substantial lateral feeding the strips around the platen rather than I that pressure rollers willenter the physical 21- f alignment with the notches. To assure the possibility of rotating the platen without advancing the strip when the feeding disks are in the apertures of the strips, there is preferably provided between the lowermost one of the pile of strips and the platen, and preferably close to the line of engagement of the pressure disks with the paper and platen, a dragbar or other device for retarding the free advancement of the paper strips.

In the fornr-of this invention described and illustrated in a companion application, Serial No. 187,044, filed January 26, 1938, the usual paper table of any commercial typewriting machine is employed to cause the pile of strips to be introduced to the platen and to generally conform to' the curvature of the platen as the printing point of the machine reached, but the ,usual feed roll,- ers are dispensed with or rendered inoperative, and the pressure roller of the present invention, which preferably engages the paper and the platen above "the writing line, serves as the means for causing the pile of paper strips to travel with the platen.

The feed-arresting pressure-relieving notches in the pile of the present invention are usually. spaced along the pile at form-length intervals, and are preferably located coextensive with transverse' lines of weakness along which oneform or This invention does not contemplate the elimination of creep during the feeding of each formlength, but, rather, dissipatesthe creep at each form-length and avoids the aocumulatlon of creep from form-length to form-length which would cause the several strips to shift out of registration with each other. The amount of creep existing for any one form-length is not sumcient to tending for several form-lengths would be unacceptable for practical purposes.

The pile of papers which has come to rest for realignment to dissipate the creep may be mestarted in any suitable manner. The operator may place her finger against the pile while linespacing the platen to thereby cause the pile to x travel with the platen until the feeding disks have passed out of the feed-arresting pressurerelieving apertures.

In the broader aspects of the invention, the feed-arresting apertures may be'contained within the body of the strips, or they may be at the top of a form or near the bottom, and even when contained in the body of the form, they may be coincident with the line of weakness between Attention again is called to a companion ap-- plication, Serial No.'187,044, flied concurrently herewith in which the typewriter feature above and with the manifolding piles described and illustrated herein are described andclaimed for, while the manifolding piles illustrated herein cooperate in a special way with the typewriter and parts thereof illustrated in said application, these manifolding piles are capable of use with mechanism quite different from the mechanism therein disclosed.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of a pack of manifolding material made in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a lan view of the manifolding pile of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a severed set of forms 55 made according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of pack, in which the carbon strip is narrower than the record strip.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing another modification of this invention, in which round holes are provided inwardly of the margins of the pile,

the holes being in theheads of the forms.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a modification -in which rectangular holes are placed in the margins of the forms but not intersecting the be commercially unacceptable, but any creep exlateral edges, the holes being in the heads of the forms.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a manifolding pile like the oneshown in Fig. 5, but having the feedfarresting holes in the bottoms of the forms.

Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 6, but showing the rectangular holes in the bottoms of the forms.

Fig. 9 shows a further modification of this invention, in which marginal holes are placed so as to partially coincide with the transverse lines of weakness, the holes being in the bottoms of the forms.

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 9, with the holes in the heads of'the forms. 7

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a fragment ofthe manifolding pile, showing the feed-arresting notches in the lateral edges of the pile but offset longitudinally from the lines of perforations.

In use, the manifolding strips are guided to the platen of a typewriter by a paper table, and an apron causes the paper to follow the curvature of the platen and lie close thereto at the line of writing where typebars strike upon the platen. l v

The usual feed rollers of the machine may be released in the usual warm as to be spaced from 'matter on the several record strips.

This is accomplished by such organization of andcooperation betweemthe manifolding pile, including the'record and transfer strips and the feeding. parts of the typewriter that, while the pile is fed frictionally line-by line past the line of writing, the feeding pressureon the pile of strips is released periodically to allow the creep accumulated between the several strips to be'dissipated by the natural tendency of the strips to realign under the control of means securing all of the strips together in registration. The strips are assisted in becoming realigned by the logging of 'the machine incident to the travel of the carriage and the idle rotation of the platen while the pile of strips is relieved of feeding pressure.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the manifolding pile is made up of a plurality of record strips l0, each continuous, and provided with a succession of printed forms ll.

Interleaved with the record strips ll are a plurality of continuous carbon sheets II. The record strips i0, and preferably the carbon strips I2 also, maybe provided with transverse lines of weakness It, usually lines of perforations, dividing the strips and the pile as a whole into form or sheet-lengths adapted to be separated from the remainder as form after form is written.

The pile of strips III and I2 is held together in registration so that the typewriting performed on the uppermost strip is reproduced "on the other strips in substantially the same places, by staples H in the form illustrated, but other forms of securing means known to the art or found suitable may be employed. The staples H are preferably located directly on the lines of weakness IS in the record strips so that when a completed set of forms is torn oflf, the staple is no longer operative to hold the resulting record sheets together, and the resulting carbon sheets may be separated therefrom. To facilitate this, the lines of separation in the carbon strips may deviate, in the now well known manner from those of the record strips '50 that tabs I5 (see Fig.3), are formed on the carbon sheets at one end of the P le of sheets and notches l6 are formed in the carbon sheets at the other end of the pile. By grasping the'tabs II of the carbon sheets with the fingers of one hand and the record sheets over the notches I 6 at the other end of the pile and drawing the hands apart, the carbon sheets and the record sheets are stripped from each other. By placing the staple It in the portion of the sheets adjacent'the tabs l5,

With the strips l and I2 stapled. or otherwise fastened together at intervals-along the pile, as the pile is fed frictionally the inherent tendency to creep causes the strips to advance at diiferent rates of speed, depending upon their nearness to the platen.

The excess of paper incidental to each form fed must be bunched in advance of the staple and pass by the feeding means, otherwise it accumulates from form to form until the excess becomes so great that the paper tears loose from the staple and practical registration is destroyed. Reliance cannot be placed upon the bunch of excess paper going through the feed mechanism without tearing away from the staple, and hence it is customary for operators using stapled paper to remove the paper from the machine from time to time and cause it to reregister- -To obviate the necessity of doing this and to positively avoid creep accumulating from form to form, the manifolding pile of the present invention is provided with physical alterations, preferably apertures, adapted to be engaged by 'feeding means adapted to enter the apertures or other physical alterations and relieve the pile of strips of feeding pressure so that the creep accumulated during the feeding of one form length in advance of the staple may be dissipated.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the physical alterations are in the form of notches i1 provided in pairs along the lateral margins of thepile. When the carbon strips l2 are full width as shown in Fig. 2, they, too, are provided with notches H, but, when the carbon strips are narrow as shown in Fig. 4, they need not be provided with the notches. If the carbonstrips i 2 are wider than shown in Fig. 4 but not as wide as shown in Fig. 2, they will be notched as much as needed to conform with the notches in the edges of the record strips it.

In using the manifolding pile of this invention, after the leading edge of the manifolding pile is placed on the paper table of the typewriter and is introduced around the platen and placed under the pressure disks for instance, the rotary movement of the platen will cause the pile of strips to advance line by line with the platen until the notches -l1 reach the bight of the pressure disks. at which time the disks enter the notches and relieve the pile'of strips from feeding pressure. When the strips Ill and I2 are thus relieved, they may shift relatively to dissipate any creep or Y relative movement which has occurred between the strips during the feeding of one form length and assume proper registration as controlled by the securing means, such as the staple l4.

Preferably, the feed-arresting notches I! are.

in lateral alignment with the staples so that the strips are relieved from feeding pressure just about the time when the maximum amount of creep exists, thereby avoiding carrying over to the next. form any of the creep, even though that amount of creep is not suflicientto cause the staple Ito tear through the paper.

with the lines of weakness 1! which preferably carry the staples It, for the notches facilitate ,the starting of the tearing operation when the written form is to be torn off along the lines of weakness l3, and, when the staple is located on the line of weakness, it will be removed with the car bone of the written form being located'in the tab It, as shown in Fig. 3.

,The resiliency of the paper is suflicient in most cases to cause the bunch in advance of the staple to disappear immediately upon the release of the feeding pressure. of the machine, that is to say, the rotation of the platen, and the return of the carriage while the feeding pressure is' relieved, also tends to log the several strips into registration. Besides this,

the engagement of the feeding disks with ,the leading edges of the apertures, that is to say, the bottom edge of the written form, also tends to move the strips into registration and particularly into alignment with the line of writing of the typewriting machine.

So long as the feedingpressure of the disks is not applied to the pile of strips, the platen may be operated idly without advancing the strips. To cause the strips to again advance, the pressure may be applied to the strips so that they frictionally engage the platen in any suitable way. This may be accomplished by temporarily returning the usual feed'rolls to operative position,

or it may be accomplished by the operator pressing her finger against the pile of papers on the platen while line-spacing the same.

However, the idle operation In the broader aspects of this invention. the

feed-arresting form-registering apertures in thestrips need not be in the form of notches in the Preferably, also, the notches II are coincident lateral margins, but, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, they may be located inwardly of the margins of the strips.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5, there are employed circular apertures or holes i8 located a substantial distance from the lateral margins of the pile. are located in the head of the form so that the staple I4 is in advance of the apertures. This construction may be used advantageously where the bunching which results from the feeding of one form-length is not sufiicient to tear the staple from the paper, for the creep will be dissipated when the feeding disks enter the apertures i8, even though the staple has passed the line of feed before the feeding pressure is relieved.

In Fig. 7, there are apertures i9, like the aper- The feed-arresting apertures may be in the form of holes and yet need not be placed as far from the lateral edges of the strips-as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. For, instead, they may be placed in the lateral margins of the strips, as shown in Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 10 close to, but not intersecting, the side edges of-the strips. And, the apertures may be square or oblong. as shown in Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 10 or any regular or irregular shape provided the feeding means may enter the same and relieve the pile of feeding pressure.

As shown in Fig. 6, the apertures 2ll are in the head of th form like in Fig. 5. In Fig. 8, the apertures 2 Lare in the foot of the forms.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the apertures 22 and 23 are respectively in the foot and head of the form, but they are also partially coincident In Fig. 5, the apertures i8.

- like the holes in Figs-5 to 8 inclusive, oflset from the lines of perforations ll. 4

Regardless of whether the apertures are in the form of holes or notches, and whether in the head or foot or part way between, the feeding disks are so situated that the apertures are entered thereby periodically and the strips are relieved of feeding pressure so as to shift into registration as controlled by the means for securing the strips together.

The strips may be conveniently folded in zigzag fashion to form a block or pack II, as shown in Fig. 1.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

A manifolding pile having aplurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divisible into sheet lengths, said strips having in their lateral margins feed-arresting ap rtures at sheet-length intervala and said strips having means'located at sheet-length in-.-

tervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging fric-- tional feeding means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the Pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become freefor relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

2. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved reoordand transfer strips divisible into sheet-lengths, said strips having feed-arresting apertures at sheet-length intervals, and said strips having staples located at sheet-length intervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting apertures being sufficiently large to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length of ,said manifolding pile has been fed so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into reflstration fixed and controlled by said staple and thereby dissipate the creep .dnherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheetlengthf .3. A manifolding pile having a. plurality of superposedand interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of into sheet lengths, said strips having feed-arresting apertures coextensive with said lines of weakness, and said strips having staples located on said lines of weakness for securing thestrips 'of tlie a pile together in registration, said feed-arresting apertures being capable of receiving the stripengaging frictional feeding. means afteraa sheetlength of said manifolding pile'hss been fed so that the lie is relieved of feeding pressure and the sever 1 strips become free for relative movement into; reglstration flxed and. controlled by aasasss said staples and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the staple during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

4. A manifolding pile having a plurality of supe p sed and interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of weakness into sheetlengths, said strips having in their lateral margins feed pressure relieving notches coextensive with said lines of weakness, and said strips having means located on said lines of weakness for seeming the strips of the pile together in registration and causing reregistration of the several strips when said feed pressure is relieved.

5. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divisible into sheet-lengths, said strips having in their lateral margins feed-arresting notches at longitudinally spaced intervals, and saidstrips having means located lateral substantially in line-with said notches for securing the strips .of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting notches being of suillcient size to be entered by strip-engaging \frictional feeding means as they reach the latter during the feeding of said manifoldlng pile so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said securing means and thereby dissipate the. creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the securing means during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

6. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved recordand transfer strips divisible into sheet-lengths, said strips having in their lateral margins feed-arresting V notches at longitudinally spaced intervals, and

said strips. having staples at similar longitudinally spaced intervals for securing the strips of a the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting notches being shaped to receive stripengaging frictional feeding means as they reach the latter during the feeding of said manifolding pile so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said staples and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

7. A, manifolding pile' having a plurality of superposed and interleaved and transfer strips divided by lines of vweakness into sheet-lengths; said strips having in their lateral marginsfeedarresting form-registering notches having a portion coincident with said lines of weakness, and said strips having staples located on said lines of weakness for securing the. strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting formreglsteririg notches being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been accumulated in the pile in advance ofthe staple I during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

8 A manifolding pilehaving a plurality of superposed, and interleaved record and transferv stripsdivlded by lines of weakness into sheetlengths, said strips having inwardly removed from} their lateral margins feed-arresting form-registering apertures inpart coextensive with said tration,

lines of weakness, and said strips having means located on said'lines of weakness for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting form-registering apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging 6 into registration fixed and controlled by said 10 strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the strip securing means during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

9. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and'interleaved record and transfer strips divisible into sheet-lengths, said strips having inwardly removed from their lateral marginsfeed-arresting apertures at sheet-length intervals, and said strips having means located at sheet-length intervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the. pile isrelieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheetlength.

10. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of weakness into sheet-' lengths, said strips having inwardly removed fromtheir lateral margins feed-arrestingiformregistering apertures at sheet-length intervals with said lines of weakness, and said strips having means at sheet-length intervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting form-registering apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length'of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several stripsbecome free, for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the staple during the frictional feeding of one-sheet length.

ii. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer 'strips divided by lines of weakness into sheetlengths, said strips having inwardly removed from their lateral margins feed-arresting formregistering apertures in part coextensive with said lines of weakness. and said strips having staples located on said lines of'weakness for se- .0

curing the strips of the .pile together in regissaid feed-arresting form-registering apertures being adapted to be entered by stripengaging frictional feeding means aftera sheetlength of said manifolding pile has been fed so 55 that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed "and controlled by U said staple and thereby dissipate the creep in herently accumulated in the pile in advance of the staple duringthev frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

12. A'ma ifolding pile having a plurality of superposed nd interleaved record and transfer strips divisible into sheet-lengths, the record 7 strips only having in their lateral margins at each side of the pile feed-arresting notches at sheet-length intervals, the carbon strips being narrower than the record strips and having their lateral edges within the bounds of said notches.

in the record strips, and said strips having means located at sheet-length intervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting notches being capable of receiving by strip-engaging frictional means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the pile isreiieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length 13. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips of substantially equal width divisible into sheet-lengths, said strips each having in their lateral margins at opposite sides of the pile feedarresting apertures at sheet-length intervals, and said strips having means located at sheet-length ,intervals for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, said feed-arresting apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheetlength of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and.

the several strips become free for relativemove- 'ment into registration fixed and controlled by said strip securing means and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length.

14. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of weakness into sheetlengths, said strips having feed-arresting apertures having a portion thereof coincident with said lines of weakness, and said strips having staples located on said lines of weakness for securing the strips of the pile together in registration, the lines of weakness in the carbon strips deviating from those in the record strips to form tabs on the carbon sheets and the staples between locations in said tabs, said feedarresting apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been fed so. that the strips are relieved of feeding pressure and become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said staple and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the-staple during the frictional feeding of one sheet-length with and around the rotatable platen.

'15. A manifolding pile having a plurality of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of weakness into sheetlensths, said strips having feed-arresting apertures in advance of said lines of weakness, and said strips having staples located on said lines of weakness for securing the pile together in registration,' said feed-arresting apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging frictional feeding means after a sheet-length of said manifoldingpile has been fed so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said staples superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips divided by lines of weakness into sheetlengths, said strips having feed-arresting formthe pile together in registration, said feed-ar-' resting form-registering apertures being adapted to be entered by strip-engaging fricticnaljeeding means after a sheet-length of said manifolding pile has been fed so that the pile is relieved of feeding pressure and the several strips become free for relative movement into registration fixed and controlled by said staple and thereby dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the staple during the frictional feeding or one sheet-length.

1'7. The method of feeding a plurality of superposed interleaved record and. transfer strips through a typewriting or like machine comprising inserting into the machine a pile of continuous strips secured together in registration by securing means located at form-length intervals, feeding the secured-together strips through the machine by applying a feeding pressurethereto by frictional feeding means to cause the strips to be pressed against the platen and fed thereby,

causing the frictional feeding means to pass into 2,246,234 16. A manifolding pile having a plurality of the strips at form-length intervals to relieve-the feeding'pr'essure and enable the securing means to reregister the strips of the form-length and dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the securing means, by reason of feeding of the pile around the platen, during the release of feeding pressure as each form-length of the pile is fed.

18. In the method. of feeding through a typewriting or like machine a plurality of registered superposedinterleaved record and transfer strips stapled together at form-length intervals and having feed-arresting or pressure-relieving apertures therein at form-length intervals, the steps of inserting'the stapled pile into the machine and passing the stapled strips around the platen thereof, feeding the strips through the machine by applying a feeding pressure thereto by fricticnal feeding means to cause the strips to be pressed against the platen and fed thereby, causing the frictional feeding means to pass into the feed-arresting or pressure-relieving apertures in feed-arresting or pressure-relieving apertures in i the strips to relieve the feeding pressure and permit the staple to reregister the strips or the formlength and dissipate the creep inherently accumulated in the pile in advance of the staple at the time when maximum creep is present in each form-length during the feeding of the pile.

LOUIS C." ANTRIM. 

